DTE Energy: 42K still without power

THE STORMS CAME THROUGH FAST AND HIT HARD. A LOT OF FAMILIES IN THE DARK TONIGHT. THE SEVERE WEATHER HAS LEFT A HUGE MESS TO CLEAN UP. THAT LINE OF SEVERE WEATHER HIT MOST EVERY COMMUNITY IN SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN. SOME GOT HEAVY RAIN, OTHERS HIT WITH HAIL AND HIGH WINDS. THAT SEVERE WEATHER HAS MOVED OUT OF THE AREA. ANDREW WILL SHOW US WHAT CAUSED SUCH SEVERE WEATHER TO MOVE THROUGH. WE'LL GET TO HIM IN JUST A MINUTE. LET'S GO FIRST TO HANK WINCHESTER, WHO HAS TRAVELED THE METRO AREA TONIGHT TO SURVEY THE DAMAGE. HANK IS IN ROSEVILLE. HANK, DID THEY GET PARTICULARLY HARD HIT TONIGHT? TAKE A LIVE LOOK BEHIND ME. WE'RE HERE IN ROSEVILLE, THIS CHURCH TRUCK BY LIGHTNING COMPLETELY DESTROYED AS YOU CAN SEE, FIREFIGHTERS STILL HERE ON THE SCENE HITTING WHAT'S LEFT OF THIS BUILDING, WHICH ISN'T MUCH WITH SOME WATER, KEEPING AN EYE ON SOME HOT SPOTS. THE STORMS ROLLED IN QUICKLY AND PACKED A POWERFUL PUNCH. IT JUST SEEMED CLEAR AT FIRST, THEN IT STARTED COMING DOWN FAST AND HARD. THIS VIEWER VIDEO CAPTURES FIRE THAT TOOK OVER THE NEW LIFE CHURCH OF GOD IN ROSEVILLE. WITNESSES SAY LIGHTNING STRUCK THE STEEPLE. WITHIN MINUTES, THE P CHURCH WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. I HEARD A BOMB NOISE. IT WAS LIKE A BOMB. FIREFIGHTERS ARRIVED QUICKLY, BUT THERE WAS LITTLE ANYONE COULD DO. IT WAS JUST A LITTLE SMALL FIRE FROM THE LIGHTING. THEN IT STARTED, LIKE, BEING BIG, BIGGER AND BIGGER AND BIGGER. AND THEN EVERYTHING CRASHED OUT. TO ROYAL OAK, WHERE FLOODING IS AN ISSUE. A DOWNED WIRE SPARKED THIS HOUSE FIRE. NEIGHBORS TELLING LOCAL 4 THE HOMEOWNERS ARE ON THEIR HONEYMOON. THAT SAME WIRE CAUSED A GARAGE FIRE NEXT DOOR. IN WARREN, LOCAL 4 CAMERAS CAPTURED SEVERAL TREES DOWN, CREATING QUITE A MESS NOT ONLY FOR HOMEOWNER BUS ALSO FOR DTE CREWS. DOWNED BRANCHES AND LIMBS ALL OVER THE PLACE. AND ON DETROIT'S EAST SIDE, LOCAL 4 WAS THERE AS FIRE TOOK WHAT WAS LEFT OF THIS VACANT BUILDING. WE'RE TOLD A DOWNED WIRE IS TO BLAME. THIS TIME FIREFIGHTERS HAD TO KEEP THEIR DISTANCE AS THE BUILDING WITH THE LIVE WIRE WAS IN OBVIOUS DANGER. BACK OUT HERE LIVE AGAIN IN ROSEVILLE, AS YOU CAN SEE FIREFIGHTERS STILL AT IT, MAKING SURE THAT THIS FIRE IS COMPLETELY UNDER CONTROL. ARSON INVESTIGATORS OUT HERE, THEY'VE DONE A FULL SEARCH AND THEY ARE SAYING TONIGHT THAT IT WAS THAT SINGLE LIGHTNING STRIKE TO THE CHURCH STEEPLE THAT STARTED THIS FIRE. ABOUT 5:00 THIS EVENING, CHURCH SERVICES WERE EXPECTED TO START HERE AT 6:00 P.M. BUT THANKFULLY NOBODY WAS INSIDE. WE'RE LIVE HERE IN ROSEVILLE, HANK WINCHESTER, BACK TO YOU. BOY, THAT TIMING IS A LITTLE BIT FRIGHTENING. WERE THERE ANY INJURIES AT ALL THEN IN THAT AREA, HANK? NO, STEVE, NOT AT ALL. IN FACT, WE'VE BEEN CHECKING IN WITH DIFFERENT POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS ALL OVER METRO DETROIT AND ALTHOUGH THESE STORMS WERE PRETTY SEVERE AND CAUSED A LOT OF DAMAGE IN SOME AREAS, IT DOES NOT APPEAR ANYBODY WAS HURT DURING THIS WILD WEATHER.

DETROIT -

DTE Energy says 42,000 remain without power in southeast Michigan after strong summer storms swept through on Sunday.

The majority of the outages are in:Oakland County: 29,000Macomb County: 6,000

If a customer is elderly or has a medical condition that would be adversely impacted by a power outage, they should try to make alternative accommodations with family or friends.

During low-voltage conditions – when lights are dim and television pictures are smaller – shut off motor-driven appliances such as refrigerators to prevent overheating and possible damage. Sensitive electronic devices also should be unplugged.

Stay out of flooded or damp basements or other areas if water is in contact with outlets or any electrically-operated appliance. The water or moisture may serve as a conductor of electricity. This can cause serious or even fatal injury.

Assemble an emergency kit. It should include a battery-powered radio, a flashlight and candles, extra batteries, a first-aid kit, a fire extinguisher, bottled water and non-perishable food.

Customers who depend on electrically powered medical equipment should ask their physician about an emergency battery back-up system. If a customer is elderly or has a medical condition that would be adversely impacted by a power outage, they should develop an emergency plan that allows for alternative accommodations with family or friends.

Keep a corded or cell phone on hand because a cordless telephone needs electricity to operate. Also, customers should learn how to manually open automated garage doors.

Customers who depend on a well for drinking water need to plan ahead on how they will obtain water. Store containers of water for cooking and washing.

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